ROCKFORD — Speed was the name of the game for Rockford on Friday night, and the Regents showed “we’ve got it, and we know how to use it,” according to head coach Ryan Rebsom, during an 89-84 season-opening home victory over Loras.

Despite a late surge from the DuHawks, who used quickness to beat quickness down the stretch, the Regents assured themselves they would not start this season the same way they started the last by hitting four of their last five shots. Rockford, which made 57 percent (34-for-60) of their shots on the night, got off to an 0-4 start last year and went on to win just eight games on the season.

On Friday, they started the game off 0-for-5 from the field and trailed early, but a 21-5 run put them in charge. Guards Tory Minnifield, Marlon Sykes and Scott Suchy forced the fast pace early and often, and forward David Dixon was usually the benefactor.

“That’s definitely a different dimension to our game: We can run. We’ve got a whole bunch of speedy-fast guys who can really turn it on,” said Dixon, who is one of those, and who was 13-for-21 from the field and had 30 points in the opener. “Just from the way we handled ourselves tonight, I can tell we’re going to have a special year. This has been building.”

Dixon had three fast-break buckets during the first-half spurt and Minnifield helped lead the break with three first-half assists, and the Regents led by as many as 14 (39-25). But Loras closed the gap before the intermission, and took a 56-52 lead early in the second half as Rockford went cold.

That’s when the Regents turned to the fast break again, and the quickness of this year’s squad shone brightly. Dixon’s 3-pointer from the right wing and Minnifield’s 15-foot floating jumper — both set up by sprints down the court — helped turn a 77-76 battle into an 85-76 Rockford cushion with under four minutes to go.

“This is one team that is going to go hard all night on you. This year things are going to be different,” said Minnifield, who added 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting. “When we start going up and down on a team, we’re not going to stop.”

Women

Chicago 87, Rockford 45: The Regent women were swallowed up by the Chicago University Tournament hosts Friday night, falling behind 52-21 by halftime and never regrouping in the season opener. Lindsay Lengjak scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds, but Rockford trailed by double figures the entire second half. Jessica Bjerning scored eight points and Katie Clark had nine points and 10 rebounds off the bench for Rockford, which plays another tourney game in the loser’s bracket today.